NMM 6804. Alto cornet in E-flat by Quinby Brothers, Boston, ca. 1876-1884
Joe R. and Joella F. Utley Collection, 1999
Engraved on bell: [signature surrounded by wreath] Made by / QuinbyBros. / Boston.
The 1879 catalogs of both D. C. Hall and the Martin Brothers refer to instruments like NMM 6804 as alto horns, but the rather narrow bore, along with the considerable amount of cylindrical tubing and cornet-size mouthpiece receiver, suggest that this is an alto cornet, not an alto horn. The general shape of this instrument resembles that of a modern mellophone, but the bell is smaller.
Body: German-silver with double-looped tubing: sloping leadpipe; main tuning slide; cylindrical second bow; valve segment; conical third bow; conical bell bow and bellpipe in one integral part; French rim.
Valves: Three side-action, string-operated rotary valves. Spiral spring return mechanism; reciprocal driver pivot in the shape of a figure 8, with cork buffers stopped by two pins. Inner slide tubing. Windway: first, second, third valve.
Accessories: Unsigned brass mouthpiece.
Sounding length: 1965 mm; internal diameter, leadpipe: 10 mm; bore diameter (inner valve slides) 11.5 mm; bell diameter: 178 mm.
National Music Museum
The University of South Dakota
414 East Clark Street
Vermillion, SD 57069
|
